These two stanzas were sent to Poe, unsigned. The letter was addressed to Poe at Fordham, which had no post office. The nearest
post office was at West Farms, where the letter sat for several weeks, until Mrs. Clemm was informed that there was an unclaimed
letter there for Poe. She forwarded the letter to Poe in Richmond. Although it is unsigned, Poe said that he recognized Sarah H.
Whitman’s handwriting, and a long, involved series of impassioned letters were exchanged between the two, culminating in a
short-lived engagement and ending when Poe broke his pledge not to drink.